Path of the Tiger
by Aile Anna
Summary: The battle with Naraku is nearly complete, and the lives of the Inu-tachi are about to change forever, including one from the future that was never meant to be a part of the past. IYKag. SM, and a surprise new comer who
1. Thoughts of Passion

Path of the Tiger

A/N:  The battle with Naraku is nearly complete, and the lives of the Inu-tachi are about to change forever, including one from the future that was never meant to be a part of the past.  IY/Kag. S/M, and a surprise new comer who finds love in the Sengoku Jidai.  Please Review and tell me what you think.  

This is a rated **R rated** fic.  It contains strong language, violence, and adult situations.  It is not suited for readers under 17 years of age.  You have been warned

Disclaimer:  I do not own any of the Inu Yasha characters.  

Prolog:  **Thoughts and Passion**

She was beautiful, he thought as he gazed upon her sleeping form.  Her skin was smooth, nearly translucent in its perfection. Perfectly shaped eyebrows arched delicately above her now closed eyes, cresants of dark lashes outlining her soft lids.  Black stripes graced her high cheekbones, a contrast to the paleness of her complexion.  Her aquiline nose, so human in form, belied her youkai blood.  Soft rosy lips, slightly parted in slumber begged for his own lips, and he fought the urge to plunder them and taste the sweet nectar beyond.

She stirred slightly, her lithe body curling against his, and he marveled at the perfection of such a body. It was strong, slender, and confident yet with one touch he could control and possess it.  This thought thrilled him, his mouth curving into a small smile as he once again fought the desire within him to conquer her.  His mind wandered from this creature of mystery and desire to the chain of events that had brought them together.  What a fool he had been, thinking he was in love with another, following after her in blind adoration like some lovesick puppy.  And he was a lovesick puppy, to believe all her lies, the deceptions that the other had told if only to hide her secret life.  Now he knew the truth, had become part of it, and it still amazed him.  What amazed him more was this new love, who cradled shamelessly in all her naked glory against his own nude body.  That first day they had met, he would have never dreamed that fate, destiny, sheer dumb luck or perhaps the twisted sense of humor of the Gods would throw them together on a journey of death, sorrow, passion, and eternal love.

She shifted in her sleep, laying on her back.  His memories could wait, he thought, as she beckoned to him.  He reached out stroking her raven hair streaked with orange that sprawled like a curtain over their shared futon.  She purred at his gentle ministrations.  He leaned over, clamping his mouth down on her slender neck, gently nipping the sensitive skin, his tongue laving over her quivering flesh.  Her purr turned into a heated growl as his free hand reached down to stroke her taught abdomen.  Yes, memories could wait, for now he had other things to think about…

A/N:  This is just the prolog so it is very short, but what do you think?  Have you figured out who he is yet?  Please review, I really would like to hear from my readers.  Will post the next chapter as soon as can.  Still writing Between Friends!  So I will try to keep on top of updating both these stories.


	2. Words of Wisdom

Path of the Tiger

A/N:  **Major spoilers** for those of you who are not current with the manga. This story takes place after the events of chapter 313 of volume 32.

This is a **rated** **R **fic.  It contains strong language, violence, and adult situations.  It is **not** suited for readers under 17 years of age.  You have been warned.  Please review!

Disclaimer:  I do not own any of the Inu Yasha characters.  

Chapter 1:  **Words of Wisdom**

"Please, don't let him follow me when he recovers.  I need time…to think.  I'll be back when I'm ready."  The girl from the future said to her friends of the past.  Regret, sorrow, and pain filled the depths of her hazel eyes as she cast one last look at the unconscious hanyou.  He lay on his back, bandages wrapped securely around the wounds over his bare chest, shoulder, and abdomen.  "I promise, I'll be back.  I just need time."  

The others nodded solemnly as she gave one final hug to the kitsune child snuggled tightly in her arms.  For once he did not cry over her leaving.  Instead, he squeezed her once more before leaping into the awaiting arms of the taijiya.  They watched as she slung her heavy yellow bag over her shoulder and exited the hut.

Tears streamed down her face and she trembled slightly as she walked quickly through the village, increasing her pace to a full run as she came to the clearing where the Bone-Eaters Well lay.  Without stopping she hopped onto the lip of the well and dropped down into its eerie darkness.  Instantly a bright pink and rose light surrounded her as she was transported from the Sengoku Jidai to the future, to her home.

Grasping the rope ladder she pulled herself up out of the sacred well.  With slow steps she walked up the shrine steps to the house she had lived in her whole life.  The house that, until her fifteenth birthday, had been the only home she knew.  The home before Mistress Centipede, before the Shikon no Tama, before Naraku, before Inu Yasha.

Once inside the now quiet house, she dropped her backpack, not caring that its contents spilled out onto the floor.  Her mind was not here, on this home, but focused on her other home, the warring states era of Japan.  The home where she was a young miko, the reincarnate of another miko who had died more than fifty years before her appearance in the Sengoku Jidai and nearly five hundred years before her birth into the modern world.  The home where she fought beside a perverted monk, a demon huntress and her fire cat youkai, an orphaned kitsune kit, and an inu hanyou who had stolen her heart never to give it back, never to love her the way she loved him.

Entering her bedroom that she had not seen in weeks, or was it months, Higurashi Kagome lay down on her bed and cried.  Cried for the sorrow of her broken heart, her torn and tattered body, her lost life in her own time, the stolen part of her soul to her now undead incarnate, and the future she was afraid to face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Inu Yasha stirred, wincing as his battered body protested his slight movement.  Opening his amber-gold eyes, he tried to remember where he was and what had happened that had brought him here.  Immediately flashes of memory enlightened him.  He had been in battle against the princess who had sided with his mortal enemy, Naraku.  Her birds attacking him and the castle where Sango's brother, Kohaku, had been with the child Naraku had separated from his demon combinate body.  Looking up at the wooden ceiling of the familiar hut, he recognized the scent of the old miko Kaede and his friends.  Sniffing the air, he searched for one scent in particular, but it was faint, days old.  She wasn't there and he had to wonder why.  Kagome always stayed by his side when he was injured, why was her scent so old as if she had not been there for a while?

Pulling himself up into a sitting position, he growled at the pain from his nearly healed wounds.  The skin pulled tight over the newly formed scars, but he did not care.  His youkai blood would heal them in another day or two leaving behind no evidence of the deadly battle.

"Inu Yasha, you shouldn't be moving.  You took quite a beating from Abi."  Miroku quietly said as he approached the injured hanyou.

"Feh," he snorted, "I've had worse from Sesshoumaru."  Looking around the hut, he met the eyes of his friends.  Sango sat by a low burning fire polishing her large bone boomerang, Shippou and Kirara were curled up sleeping in a far corner, and Kaede babaa stood stirring an herbal mixture in a small bowl.  "Where's Kagome?"  At the mention of the young miko's name, the others looked away.  An uneasy feeling filled him as he asked again, "Where is she, Miroku?"  He snarled at the hoshi, his eyes boring into the man beside him.

Miroku turned to the others, as if speaking by mental transmission.  They left the hut, Sango waking the kitsune and fire cat before carrying them out the doorway.  When they were the only two remaining, the hoshi sat down cross-legged beside the inu youkai.  Ignoring the hardened glare from his friend, Miroku sat in thoughtful contemplation before finally speaking.  "You are a fool, Inu Yasha."

"Nani?" He growled, his eyes narrowing.  "What's this about, monk, where is Kagome?"  

"She has left for her own time.  She has changed, and I fear not for the better."  Miroku looked down at the staff resting against his shoulder.  The smooth polished wood gleamed in the light of the fire.

"What do you mean?  What's happened to her?"  Concern now edged the hanyou's voice to a sharp bark.  

"She has a broken heart and you are to blame.  She loves you, and you are too stupid to see it.  Since she healed Kikyou's wounds you have grown distant.  You both have."

Inu Yasha looked at the monk, doubt in his golden orbs.  "Loves me?  Feh!  You don't know what you're talking about, Miroku.  And she's the one who's being distant."

The hoshi thought about this before responding, "Do you know why?"  The hanyou only shook his head in bewilderment.  "As I said, you are a fool!"  Inu Yasha stared in amazement at the venom in Miroku's words.  "She knew you wanted to follow Kikyou, she knew you only stayed out of guilt.  You could not even answer Sango-sama's question.  If Kagome-sama had been happy when we found her, she knew you would have gone after Kikyou."

Inu Yasha slowly rose to his feet, ignoring the pain in his shoulder and chest.  "I'm going to go get her."

Before he could turn away, Miroku's hand shot out grabbing Inu Yasha's wrist in a tight grip.  "If you do, we stand…you stand… the chance to lose her forever.  She did not want you to go to her time.  Kagome asked all of us to keep you away from the well and her.  Her heart is broken.  She has suffered one too many blows.  You think she does not love you?  Then why, Inu Yasha, does she still follow you after Naraku knowing you have chosen your past love?  Why does Kikyou's presence and even name anger her?  Why did she close herself off after she healed Kikyou's wound from Naraku?  Even more important, why did she heal Kikyou?  She needs time to think and clear her head.  She was devastated when you were wounded.  We have never seen you take such injuries before.  It was Kagome-sama who cleaned your wounds, bandaged them, and held you until she knew you would survive.  Not Kikyou, who wishes your death, but Kagome who wishes you to live."

"How long has she been gone?"  The inu hanyou spoke softly, his eyes focused on the intense gaze of the hoshi.

"Three days now.  For once, heed her words and do not follow her.  If you love her or have any feelings for her at all, then let her come back on her own, when she is ready."  With that said, Miroku stood and left, the soft tinkling of the rings of his staff and the crackling of the fire the only sounds in the quiet hut.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kagome threw her pencil across the room.  "Why do I even bother?"  She asked the calico cat watching with glowing eyes.  She shoved her schoolbooks aside, unbidden tears burning the rims of her eyes.  It had been like this since her return from the Sengoku Jidai nearly two weeks before.  At first Kagome had stayed closed off in her room, ignoring the concern from her family about her well being.  After two days of sulking, she had finally left her confines.  Never more than a few words did she speak to her family.  She spoke even less to her friends at school.  But she didn't care about any of that.  She wasn't thinking about them, but about the hanyou who she hated and yet loved.  

"Kagome?"  A knock on her door followed by a soft voice.  "Honey, dinner's ready."

Kagome stared at her closed door, the dry sobs stuck in her throat preventing her from speaking.  

"Kagome?"  The door opened slowly, the shorthaired head of her mom peeking in.  At seeing her daughter struggling to regain control of her emotions, her mother instincts kicked in.  "Kagome, talk to me.  I'm here to listen, to love you, to help you if I can."  She approached the girl, gentle arms reaching out.

Suddenly Kagome found herself jumping into her mother's open arms, her own arms wrapping fiercely around the woman in a desperate hug.  "Mama, I'm so afraid.  I just don't know what to do."  Her sobs grew in strength as she broke down, releasing all she had felt over the past several weeks.

Mrs. Higurashi led her daughter to the bed.  Sitting down while still embraced, she stroked her fingers through Kagome's long, black hair, her free hand rubbing up and down the girls back.  Finally, she pulled away, looking intently into her daughter's tear stained face.  "Tell me about it, Kagome.  What has you so upset?"

Once again Kagome brought her sobs and tears under control before pouring her heart out to the only person she knew would understand.  "He doesn't love me, and I love him so much.  Again and again he chooses Kikyou, and again and again I stand by and watch.  He was badly hurt, Mama.  And the entire time I tended his wounds, I kept thinking why?  He's only going to die anyway, letting his dead girlfriend drag him off to hell.  I don't know if I can stand by him anymore…" she broke off as a quiet sob escaped her, "knowing his feelings.  I promised him that I would, I told him I wanted to see him live, but…" her words faded as she turned her face away from her mother's, her eyes resting on the Go Shinboku tree outside her bedroom window.

Stroking a hand through Kagome's hair, she encouraged her to continue, "but what?"

"But how can I do that?  How can make him see me for me, how can I make him choose life over death?  I know he cares, but I want more than that.  He's my best friend, Mama.  I can't just stand by and let this happen.  Yet, I don't know how to stop it.  I'm afraid of what will happen when we finally complete the Shikon no Tama and defeat Naraku.  I know I don't tell you everything about what happens on the other side.  Sometimes I wonder if I will live to see home and my family again.  Then I look at Inu Yasha and know that I will.  But now, I wonder.  I wonder if when it's all over, will I lose more than my heart, will I lose my soul too?"  

Mrs. Higurashi cradled the young miko against her, her words soft and soothing, "Kagome, I have seen the two of you together.  I know, as a mother, the love you share for each other.  Inu Yasha has had a hard life, and I don't think emotions and feelings come easy for him.  You said before he feels responsible for that miko's death.  You have to make him see that responsibility does not mean accepting death.  Fate has chosen you for whatever reason to be by his side now.  Not her, but you, Kagome."

Kagome looked imploringly into her mother's eyes, "But how, Mama?  How do I make him understand that she is his past and that life is his future…perhaps a life with me?"

Mrs. Higurashi cupped her hand over her daughter's cheek, "Listen to your heart, sweetheart, and it may help you find a way."

Squeezing her mother in a suffocating hug, "Arigato, Mama.  I think I'll stay here for a little while longer before I return to the Sengoku Jidai."

"Come on, dinner is ready.  I made oden."  At this, Kagome smiled brightly, only her mom knew how to truly make her feel better.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Inu Yasha stared up at the night sky.  The partially veiled stars winked down at him, the black curtain of night lit by the half moon.  The strong winds whipped the canopy of the forest trees, their leaves shivering fiercely as they shook.  A storm was brewing, evident by the black mists of cloud that blocked out the night sky in the distance.  It was hours away, but by morning it would be pouring rain.  

He snorted at this thought.  The coming storm seemed to fit his dark mood.  Kagome had been gone two weeks.  She had not bothered to say goodbye to him, only snuck off through the well while he was too injured to know.  As heavy clouds drifted in the inky sky, so too did his thoughts.  Inu Yasha had spent the time since his recovery thinking about Miroku's words.  Speaking to no one, he perched on his favorite branch in the Go Shinboku Tree near the well.  At night he ran off into the forest to hunt, by day sitting in the branches lost in thought.

_'Does she really love me?'_  He asked himself for the thousandth time.  Miroku's words came back again and again to haunt him_…"Why… does she still follow you after Naraku knowing you have chosen your past love?  Why does Kikyou's presence and even name anger her?  Why did she close herself off after she healed Kikyou's wound from Naraku?  Even more important, why did she heal Kikyou?"_

_'Baka!'_  The voice inside his head berated him.  _'She does love you.  Why else would she care so much?'_  A solitary tear slid down his face, the second time he could ever remember crying.  When had been the first?  _'When you thought Kagome was dead.  When you thought the Shichinin-tai had killed your friends and Myouga-jiji had saved them.'_ He answered his own question.  He knew he had feelings, very strong feelings, for Kagome.  But he owed Kikyou.  He made her weak, susceptible to Naraku's plot against them.  If he had not loved her she would have lived.  For her he would be human, freeing her from her duties as the Shikon no Tama's protector.   Instead, Naraku destroyed them both.  Inu Yasha had been pinned to the God Tree for fifty years before Kagome freed him.  Kagome, whom he had tried to kill after unsealing him had stayed by his side, fought with him and even made him smile-on rare occasions.  Kagome was full of life and made him stronger, gave him purpose.  She changed him in a way he never thought possible.  He had sworn to protect Kagome and he had sworn to protect Kikyou.  He knew what he owed one, but what did he owe the other?  He could not give his life to both, nor could he truly choose.  "I love them both."  He cried, the wind and the forest his only witness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The boy walked toward the shrine, a bouquet of soft pink roses grasped tightly in his hand.  As he approached the steps leading to the main house, a movement caught his eye.  Turning his head, he caught the outline of a familiar figure entering the darkness of the well house.  "Higurashi!"  He called out as he quickened his pace to a light run.  The girl only stopped long enough to close the doors to the sacred building.  "She must not have heard me."  He said aloud.

Now in a full run he threw open the doors only to find the darkness within empty.  Hearing a soft echo he approached the lip of the well and looked within.  He gasped as he met the eyes of the girl, her body dangling from a thick, knotted rope ladder.  "Higurashi!  What are you doing?  You should not be in here with your ill health!"  His hands shot out dropping the flowers to the ground as he grasped hold of one of her wrists.

"Houjo-kun!"  Kagome exclaimed as the boy grabbed hold of one of her hands, pulling roughly to drag her from the well.  "What are you doing here?  Let go!"  She demanded as she struggled to maintain her balance with the heavy bag on one shoulder and the determined boy playing tug-of-war with her wrist.  She yanked her arm back fiercely, realizing her mistake only when it was too late.  The weight of her pack pulled her back and Houjo leaned closer to once again grasp hold of her hand.  Suddenly they both tumbled into the depths of the well, the bright shimmering light encasing them as they left Tokyo and slipped into the Sengoku Jidai.

A/N:  A little depressing!  But don't worry, I am a firm believer in the IY/Kag. S/M pairings!  It sounds a little flighty right now, since the prolog does not fit with this chapter, but trust me, it will blend and make sense.  I was doing dishes and this story started flowing in my head and would not stop!  It practically wrote itself.  The prolog is actually current, the story is a flashback of the events leading to the prolog.  I hope that makes sense.  If you are not current on the manga and don't mind the spoilers you can e-mail me and I will be glad to fill you in on details since they are important to this fic…especially Inu Yasha and Kagome's roles as well as Sango and Miroku's. I chose to begin this fic at Chapter 313 because it fit what I needed to do this story!  **I hope you liked it, please review and tell me what you think!  I would really like to hear your opinions!**


	3. Stuck in Time

Path of the Tiger

A/N: Major spoilers for those of you who are not current with the manga. This story takes place after the events of chapter 313 in the manga.  **Please Review!**

This is an **R rated** fic.  It contains strong language, violence, and adult situations.  It is **not** suited for readers under 17 years of age.  You have been warned

Disclaimer:  I do not own any of the Inu Yasha characters.  

Recap:

"Houjo-kun!"  Kagome exclaimed as the boy grabbed hold of one of her hands, pulling roughly to drag her from the well.  "What are you doing here?  Let go!"  She demanded as she struggled to maintain her balance with the heavy bag on one shoulder and the determined boy playing tug-of-war with her wrist.  She yanked her arm back fiercely, realizing her mistake only when it was too late.  The weight of her pack pulled her back and Houjo leaned closer to once again grasp hold of her hand.  Suddenly they both tumbled into the depths of the well, the bright shimmering light encasing them as they left Tokyo and slipped into the Sengoku Jidai.

Chapter 2:  **Stuck in Time**

They landed with a thump at the bottom of the well.  Pulling himself off the now bruised girl, Houjo reached out a hand helping her to her feet.  "Why are you in a well, Kagome-san?" His eyes roamed the rock walls and thick vines of the dry well.  His brow furrowed in confusion as he looked up to be pummeled by harsh drops of rain.  A black mask of clouds crowded the sky that should not be there.

"Great!  Just what I need.  Come on, the only way to get you back is to climb out and then go back through again.  And just what _were_ you doing at the well house?"  Kagome snapped at him.  She wanted to see Inu Yasha and talk with him before they once again faced Naraku and his allies.

"Go back?  I don't understand.  Why is it raining?  What happened to the roof of the well house?  Just where are we, Kagome-san?"  He was now even more confused than ever by her irate attitude.

Pulling herself up by the thick vines, "After we get out of here, I'll explain."  Her mind fumed, _'Damn!  I wonder if he is dense enough to think this is all a dream?' _

Following behind her, Houjo climbed up the vines and over the lip of the well to land in wet grass slicked with mud and a stinging rain pelting him.  He stood to his full height, taking in the strange surroundings of the dense forest and the stranger still boy who stood inches from Kagome.  The two faced each other, rain soaking their clothes, plastering them to their bodies.  Houjo's eyes widened as he noticed a pair of triangular ears atop the boys head.  They flickered wildly in the rain.  Suddenly Kagome threw herself into the boy's embrace, burying her face into the wet folds of his strange kimono.  "Higurashi, who's that and where are we?"  He demanded, feeling slightly dizzy from his deepening confusion.

Kagome held onto Inu Yasha, never hearing Houjo's questioning voice.  She turned her face into his haori, inhaling the scent of him.  He smelled of the forest, tree sap, and rainwater.  As her own tears blended and were washed away by those of the angry skies, he wrapped his arms tightly around her, pulling her closer to him.  She could feel the thundering of his heart through his over coat and the slight tensing of his muscles as he held her.  Inu Yasha lowered his head, resting his cheek on her wet hair.  

Kagome let her actions say what her voice, suddenly stuck in her throat, could not.  So engrossed in her feelings, the miko had forgotten about her unexpected guest.  A loud rumble followed by a deafening crack of thunder sounded from behind her.  The crack of thunder and flash of lightening streaked across the darkened sky to land near the small group.  Wood chips flew into the air as the wooden sides of the well splintered and cracked.  The two humans and one inu hanyou turned to see another crack of lightening hit, and the Bone-Eater's Well caved in on itself. That was when Inu Yasha noticed the strange boy for the first time.

"Who the hell are you?"  Inu Yasha growled, his ears pricked back in a threatening manner.  Still holding the wet girl in his arms, his liquid gold eyes glared at the stranger.

"Oh, Houjo-kun!"  Kagome turned to the boy from her time, "without the well, you can't go home.  I'm sorry, you'll have to wait until it's fixed."  She turned her gaze back to Inu Yasha as she stepped out of his embrace.  "He grabbed me when I was going down the ladder.  I lost my balance and we fell in."  Her voice shivered from the chilling rain and her damp clothes as she rushed to explain.

"So, this is Houbo?"  Inu Yasha snorted.  "Your cold, and the others are worried about you.  You can explain Houbo later."  

"Uh, that's Houjo." The confused boy said trying to keep up with a now running hanyou carrying a drenched Higurashi Kagome on his back.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The storm raged through the night as the group huddled near the small fire in Kaede's hut.  Once Kagome was safely out of the rain and in the care of her friends, he gave a final glare to Houjo and took off into the rain.  Kagome's heart sank deeper inside her.  If only Houjo had not followed her, she might still be in Inu Yasha's arms.  She desperately needed to talk with him, to explain her absence and for once be completely honest with him.  No matter his choice, she would stay till the end because that was the depth of her love for him.  _'As long as he is truly happy that's all that matters.'  _A deep pain clenched her heart as her mind spoke the words she had said so many times before.

"Kagome!" An orange streak of fur came rushing toward her causing the future girl to lose her balance as the tiny kitsune child crashed into her.  "Who's that?"  Shippou asked curiously, as he watched the odd looking boy behind reach out reflexively to help her gain her balance.  He peeked his head over the top of the girl's shoulder as he sniffed at the boy.

Looking behind her, Kagome felt almost sorry for her school friend.  His eyes were as large as saucers as his fearful gaze focused on the creature held tenderly in Kagome's arms.  "This is Houjo, he sort of fell into the well when I was leaving.  He's from my time."  

All eyes turned to better see the boy.  Houjo gulped audibly at the bizarre looking bunch.  He had never seen people – or creatures- such as these.  Their form of dress seemed almost archaic.  With furrowed brow, Houjo's gaze scanned the onlookers.  A man dress in deepest blue and black robes, an old woman wearing bright red hakamas and a white gi, a young woman who could not be more than a year or two older than himself dressed in an old fashioned yukata with what looked to be a tiny yellow kitten curled in her lap, and finally the furry animal like creature met his gaze.

"What is that thing?  Is it an animal?  How can it talk?  And why are you all dressed like that?"  The questions came in a rush as his confusion turned to fear_.  'Did I hit my head when I fell?  That must be it.'_  Houjo's mind tried to rationalize the situation.

"First we must get the two of you dry.  Kagome, you may use the back room to change."  She smiled widely at the miko as the girl grabbed her large pack and left the room.  Turning to the frightened boy Kaede held out a blanket.  "I have no spare robes.  Sit by the fire and it will dry your," her single eye roamed Houjo's pressed trousers and button up shirt, "clothing."  She finished.  _'Do all those of Kagome's era wear such strange clothing?'_  The old miko had barely gotten used to the short skirts that her protégé wore.  She did not know how to react to Houjo's tight hakamas and high-necked gi.

Moments later Kagome appeared in a dry school uniform.  Her damp hair had been brushed and put in a high ponytail.  As she sat down by the fire with the rest of the group she remembered the well.  "Uhm…there's something else I forgot to tell you.  The well was struck by lightening, twice actually, and it collapsed.  I'm afraid until it's fixed…that is, if it can be fixed…we are stuck here for a while."

"You mean you can't go back home, Kagome?"  Shippou tried to sound sad for his adopted mother, but he could not keep the glee out of his childish voice.

Kagome laughed at his failed attempt to comfort her.  "Looks like it, Shippou-chan.  Now I can make sure Inu Yasha is nice to you."  Her smile suddenly faded.   Once again Kagome felt a dull ache in her heart_.  'Why did he leave like that?'_ she wondered.  

"Higurashi?"  Houjo's voice pulled the young miko from her thoughts.

Sighing, she turned to him, "I guess I should start explaining things, huh?"  Taking slow breath, Kagome began her tale.  "Well, it's like this, I have never really been sick.  I've been here, in the Sengoku Jidai trying to find the pieces of the Shikon no Tama that I broke and help destroy this really evil half demon named Naraku.   And the whole reason I'm here is because I am the reincarnation of this dead miko, well, she's supposed to be dead, Kikyou who was the jewel's protector.  But Naraku tricked her and Inu Yasha, the guy who brought me here with you –he's half demon too, into betraying or thinking they betrayed each other to taint the jewel.  That's when Kikyou died and had the Shikon no Tama burned with her body.  Then I was born, and the jewel somehow got inside me.  I didn't know until I was in the well house looking for our cat one day and this giant centipede youkai came out of the well and pulled me in.  The well is a time portal.  I ended up shattering the jewel, and my family has been covering for my absences with illnesses so I can be here and fix what I did."  She inhaled deeply at the end of her longwinded explanation.

Houjo blinked owlishly.  He had barely comprehended her rushed words.  The one thing he did understand was that she had never been sick, that the dog-eared guy and apparently this little orange fur ball, as well as others he did not know were demons.  He also understood that this was not Tokyo, but nearly 500 years in the past, before Tokyo, before even his or Kagome's births.  Five hundred years in the warring states period, a time of sickness, fighting, and danger.

"You mean, we're in the past?"  

Kagome held back the urge to smack herself in the forehead.  This was a lot for the dimwitted boy to take in.  Hell, it had been a lot for her to take in at first.  If it had not been for Kaede and Inu Yasha, she would have never survived her times in feudal Japan.  Instead she just nodded.

"Who are these people?  And what is that?"  Houjo pointed a finger at Shippou who was now sitting attentively in her lap.

"Well, this is Shippou," She gave the kitsune a gentle squeeze, "He's a fox youkai.  His parents were killed because of the Shikon no kakera.  And that is," raising her hand she began pointing her finger, "Kaede-bachan, the village priestess and my mentor.  Miroku a traveling monk and Sango is a taijiya, and the neko is Kirara, Sango's partner who helps us battle demons."

It did not seem possible for the future boy's eyes to get any rounder, "Y-you fight youkai, Kagome-san?"

"Hai!  We all are a team, working together."  She said simply.

"And I'm stuck here, in time, with monsters and war."  It was more a statement than a question.

"Kagome-sama, perhaps you should give him time to think about all this."  Miroku watched the schoolboy with concern.  His face had gone quite pale and his hands shook slightly.  

"That would be best, Kagome."  Kaede added as she began stirring a thick liquid in the pot over the fire.

Houjo sat in silence, his mind trying to come to grips with his current situation, but still he could not shake the fear that he was stuck in a time where demons were real and wars raged.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Inu Yasha sat high on a branch in the Goshinboku, the harsh rain only a light fall as it filtered through the thick canopy of the tree.  He had been so happy when he had picked up Kagome's scent that he never smelled the boy who was with her.  Though she had explained Houjo's appearance being an accident, it had still put a damper on his good mood.  _'Why did that moron have to show up!'_ he sulked.  He glanced back at the now destroyed well, _'I hope it can be fixed.  Not that I mind keeping Kagome trapped here for a while, but that Hobo bastard's got to go!' _  

Once again lightening flashed, its white light revealing a brief glimpse of the severity of the well's damage.  Inu Yasha cringed thinking about the length of time it would take to dig out all the debris and repair the structure.  Subconsciously his eyes squinted in a glare as he thought of the boy hanging around Kagome in this time.  They had a battle to return to, Naraku was too close to gaining access to the last jewel shard.  They had no time to repair the sacred well or cater to an ignorant boy who was foolish enough to fall into time.  His glare turned into a slow smile as Inu Yasha imagined a youkai eating the scrawny youth.  He knew of the boy's obsession with his Kagome.  Having him there, where he would be totally dependent on her, was not a pleasant thought.  And he knew Kagome would "sit" him a hundred times over if he tried to harm the boy_.  'It would serve the baka right if he got eaten by a demon!  Well, maybe not eaten, but maimed a bit would be good!'_  With that thought he jumped gracefully to the muddy ground and headed back to Kaede's hut.  He did not trust leaving the boy alone with Kagome any longer than he had to_.  'Well, not alone, the others are there, but still…' _

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So you say lightening damaged the well?"  Kaede asked, turning concerned eyes to the frightened boy sitting by the fire.

"More than damaged, Kaede-bachan."  Kagome wrapped the blanket Sango had given her tighter around her, encasing the kitsune child in her lap with its warmth.  "The whole well caved in.  It was struck twice."

"Twice?"  The houshi's quizzical voice broke in.  "Odd, lightening rarely strikes twice in the same place."

"This storms not natural, and neither was that lightening."  All eyes turned as the hanyou walked into the hut.  His damp hair hung low to his waist, his bangs plastered to his forehead covering his eyes.

"Not natural?"  Kagome and Sango questioned in unison.

Inu Yasha sat down by the fire facing Kagome.  With his eyes hidden, Kagome could not see him glaring at the silent Houjo.  The boy was quite pale, his eyes round with fear as he listened to the others speak.  With his keen eyesight, the hanyou noticed the boy's hands tremble slightly as they clutched the blanket wrapped around him.  _'Feh!  Weak human!'  _It was obvious to the dog demon that the boy was in slight shock.  Feeling eyes on him, he turned to see Kagome staring intently at him.  Cocking an eyebrow as he spoke softly, "What is it, Kagome?"  A frown crossed his features as he noticed the deep sadness in the young miko's gaze.  His heart sank_.  'Why is she looking at me like that?  Did I make her sad?'_

Kagome turned away ignoring his question, now was not the time to get into a heart to heart with Inu Yasha.  She needed to be alone with him to explain what she was thinking and feeling.  When she turned back to face him, his eyes were still focused on her.  "Why don't you think this storm is normal?"

"It doesn't feel right."  The hanyou replied shortly.  

"There is a dark presence to this storm, Kagome.  Do you and the houshi not feel it?"  Kaede began filling bowls with the thick rabbit stew she had been stirring.  "Eat, boy, it will give you strength."  She held out a steaming bowl to Houjo, her concern for him evident. 

"You do need to eat, Houjo-kun.  I know this has been quite a shock, falling through time and meeting real demons and all, but everything will be okay."  Kagome reached out to her school friend, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  Houjo looked up at her, a small smile curving his lips.  "Be nice, Inu Yasha!"  Kagome barked at the half demon when she heard his low growl.  The inu youkai only snorted and turned away.

Houjo flinched at the growling coming from the hanyou.  He accepted the bowl of food, keeping his head lowered.  His mind's eye flashed back to the image of Kagome being held in the half demon's arms.  _'Are they seeing each other?  Surely Kagome-san could not be involved with a youkai, half or not.'  _His heart pained at this thought.  He knew deep inside that Kagome had been avoiding him in their time.  At first he thought is was due to her illnesses.  Now that he knew the truth, he could not shake the feeling that there was something else, something more that he had been missing in his crush's actions toward him.

"Hai, Kaede-sama, I do feel an ominous presence in this storm."  The houshi fiddled with his staff, the rings jingling softly as he shifted and reshifted it against his shoulder.

"Do you think it's Naraku's doing?  Why would he target the well if we are the only ones who know about its magic?" Sango sat next to Miroku, Kirara sleeping in a tight ball in her lap.

"I don't know.  But no, I do not think this is Naraku's doing.  Not directly anyways.  Perhaps Abi-hime is behind it, or her mother."  Miroku's  words held much doubt as he tried to seek the answers to this current puzzle.

"Abi doesn't have that kind of power or her mother."  The hanyou retorted.  "We don't have to worry about this now!"  He snapped.  "Naraku is closing in on the last shard, and here we sit worrying about some baka storm and a destroyed well."  He nearly regretted his words when he heard Kagome's sharp intake of breath.  He knew how much her own time meant to her.  For reasons the inu hanyou could not understand, Kagome valued her tests.  For reasons he could understand, she also valued her family back in the modern world.

"Inu Yasha's right.  We don't have time to waste here in the village.  Inu Yasha is healed, and every second we stay here is a second's advantage Naraku has on us."  Kagome cast sorrowful eyes to the floor, her bangs hanging low over her eyes concealing the hurt and pain she felt.

"I will have the village men work on the repairing the well while you are gone, Kagome." Kaede reassured the girl.  "Though this is a youkai storm of some sort, I can protect the villagers while you are gone.  You must defeat Naraku before he gets the last Shikon no Kakera.  If he gains the full power of the jewel…" She let her words fade off, knowing that the group of warriors understood.  

"What about him?"  Inu Yasha jerked his head toward the still silent Houjo, his long white hair swishing softly with his actions.  

"I cannot keep an eye on him, he must go with you."  Everyone looked with surprise at the aged miko's curt words.  "He knows me not, and thus does not trust me or the villagers.  I think it best that he go with Kagome.  When you return, the sacred well will be repaired and he can return to his own time."

"Nani?!"  Inu Yasha growled, his eyes narrowing with a deadly glare at the now cowering Houjo.  "How the fuck, baaba, are we supposed to fight with this weakling hanging around?"  He jerked a clawed thumb at said boy.

"You are more than capable of keeping Kagome's friend safe, Inu Yasha.  I know that you will protect him.  It is best that knows what this time is like."

"Why?"  The hanyou demanded.

"Because if the well is damaged, it may not work again.  Kagome and Houjo may be trapped here."

"It's true, Inu Yasha.  We both know the lightening completely destroyed the Bone-Eater's Well.  It may not work anymore."  Kagome looked away, hiding her sorrow from her friends.

"Don't worry, Kagome-chan, the villagers will fix it and it will be good as new."  Sango tried to cheer up her friend.

"Thank you, Sango-chan, but  we don't know that for sure."  Kagome faked a yawn, she no longer wanted to talk about the possibility of the portal never working again.  In truth, she did not mind the idea of staying there in the Sengoku Jidai, as long as she could see her family whenever she wanted to. '  With great sadness she dug through her yellow backpack.  Unrolling her sleeping bag, Kagome lay down and closed her eyes.  She knew she would not fall asleep for many hours, but at least she would have time to think of what to do about both the well and Houjo.

"We leave in the morning."  Inu Yasha told the others.  He knew Kagome wasn't tired.  He listened to her uneven breathing and her smelled her inner turmoil.  _'I have to talk to her alone, without the others or that runt Hobo around.'  _

"Do you plan to leave even in this weather, Inu Yasha?"  The houshi asked as he stretched out on his own futon.  His violet eyes glowed like sapphires in the firelight.

"We can't let Naraku get the advantage, Miroku.  Besides, we won't find out what's causing this storm sitting around here."  The houshi only nodded at the hanyou's words.

"Tomorrow then.  Goodnight."  Sango too lay out her futon, Kirara curling at her mistress's side.

"Inu Yasha?"  The hanyou turned toward the fox demon  sitting next to Kagome.  "Do you think Kagome will be able to go back home?"

"Shut up, brat and get some sleep.  We have a long journey ahead."  Shippou took a fleeting glance at the boy who now too lay on a futon provided by Kaede, then closed his eyes and let sleep claim him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Houjo lay listening to the soft breathing of the others.  His restless mind held off sleep as the words Kagome had said repeated themselves in his head_.  'What if the well doesn't work?  How will I get back home?'_  He could not fathom Kagome having a double life, the one at school in modern day Tokyo where she was a normal –well, normal if you considered her constant supposed illnesses- ninth grade student and the one here in the past where she was a miko in training and fighting demons.  The girl he so adored for her beauty, intelligence, and kindness had been lying to him and everyone else for that matter.  Houjo understood her reasons.  Who would believe that she traveled time and fought youkai?  The girl would have been committed to an institution long ago for saying such things.  Yet he knew it to be true, because now he was mixed up her double life.  As sleep finally claimed him, Houjo could not ignore the knot of fear and foreboding that welled up inside him.

A/N:  Another Chapter complete…I know this one was a little boring, but the next one will be much better, promise!  As always, **please** **REVIEW!!!!**  I would love to hear your comments and it does help me put out the next chapters faster, though this one took a while!  I rewrote it like half a dozen times because I was not happy with it…it did not want to come out the way it was in my head!  But now I am back on track and next chapter will be posted next week!  As always, if you have any questions, just e-mail me, my address is on my BIO page!  Ja!


	4. The Waiting Game

A/N:  Chapter 3, Wow!  This is going along really well!  And thank you to all of you who have reviewed!  Major spoilers for those of you who are not current with the manga. This story takes place after the events of chapter 313 in the manga.  **Please Review!**

This is an **R rated** fic.  It contains strong language, violence, and adult situations.  It is **not** suited for readers under 17 years of age.  You have been warned

Disclaimer:  I do not own any of the Inu Yasha characters.  

Recap:

The girl he so adored for her beauty, intelligence, and kindness had been lying to him and everyone else for that matter.  Houjo understood her reasons.  Who would believe that she traveled time and fought youkai?  The girl would have been committed to an institution long ago for saying such things.  Yet he knew it to be true, because now he was mixed up in her double life.  As sleep finally claimed him, Houjo could not ignore the knot of fear and foreboding that welled up inside him.

Chapter 4: The Waiting Game

By dawn the storm had lessoned its intensity.  The raging winds had died down some and the stinging rain was now a steady drizzle.  Black clouds that seemed anchored to the skies despite the blowing wind, blocked out the sun's rays, encasing the earth in a blanket of bitter gray.  The occupants within the small hut stirred slowly from their restless sleep.  Each one took care to put away their bedding and prepare for the long journey ahead.

Kagome rubbed her eyes as she repacked her backpack.  The rich smell of cooking soup filled her nostrils and her stomach let out an angry grumble to announce its hunger.  A sheepish grin curved her lips.  "Is breakfast ready?"  She asked Kaede who sat in her usual place by the fire, stirring the contents of the stew pot.

"Almost, child."  Was the simple reply of the aged miko.

"Well, hurry it up!  I'm hungry."  Inu Yasha snapped at his own stomach's protests of morning hunger.  Kaede only rolled her eyes, being used to the impatient inu hanyou's demands for food.

"It smells quite good."  Houjo smiled to the old priestess as he knelt beside her.  Kaede only nodded in acknowledgement to his comment.

The impatient hanyou pulled back the bamboo door hanging.  His keen eyes scanned the still angry storm before turning to the others.  "We'll have to travel fast to get out of this storm.  We'll leave after we eat."  Remembering what Kaede baaba had told them about taking the annoying human boy, Inu Yasha glared at the old woman.  "Why the hell do we have to take him along?"  He repeated his question from the previous night.

Again Kaede rolled her eyes at the dog demon.  "Inu Yasha, I cannot protect the boy as you can.  The well needs to be repaired, I have many duties to perform, and I think he would be more comfortable traveling with young Kagome."

"Kaede-sama,"  Miroku sat down in front of the fire pit, resting his staff across his shoulder.  "The boy is an innocent, and obviously cannot fight.  I fear he will be in more danger if he travels with us.  We cannot protect him in a battle against Naraku should it arise."

Inu Yasha snorted, "I'm not coming back until that bastard's dead."  His golden eyes burned bright with intensity.  "Got that, Kagome!  We take everything we need now, what we don't have we can get from the other villages on the way."

Kagome looked with exasperation at her hanyou.  "Inu Yasha!  My pack is already overflowing.  I have no more room for anything else in here."

"Perhaps you can make room for some extra healing herbs, Kagome.  I know the medicines of your time are strong, but you may run out."  Kaede suggested as she tasted the contents of the soup pot.  "It is done.  Sango, could you…"  Her words were cut off as an anxious kitsune cub stuck a stack of bowls nearly in her face.  "Arigato, Shippou."  The priestess one by one filled the bowls full of the miso soup passing them out to the group of hungry travelers.

They ate in silence, each one thinking of the coming journey and the future that held so many uncertainties.  Houjo sat beside the fire, his eyes watching the others nervously.  What did the dog demon mean when he said killing the evil demon Naraku?  Was Kagome actually going to be involved in a fight with such a powerful youkai?  How would they protect him?  They all seemed to be strong.  The taijiya, Sango, was already dressed in her black battle armor, her large bone boomerang securely placed on her back.  She obviously knew how to use the weapon or she would not carry such a thing.  The houshi was a holy man.  Houjo knew that Kagome's grandfather did exorcisms and so forth.  Surely the monk had some power as well to rid spirits and demons.  Certainly he carried ofuda or some other magical wards to assist him.  The fox child, Houjo looked at the strange animal with intent.  What could this child possibly do?  He was a youkai, but one so small could not possibly be very strong.  He glanced to the inu hanyou.  It was obvious that Inu Yasha was strong.  The half demon was always scowling, growling, or glaring, signifying his fighting spirit.  Not to mention the fangs and long claws and the katana that hung at his waist.  Kagome, he was still unsure of.  Trying to remember what she had told him the day before, he wracked his brain.  _'Kagome-san had said she was a miko?  No, the reincarnation of a miko.  Does that mean she has spiritual powers like the monk?'_  Houjo wondered.  The knot of foreboding and fear he had felt all night suddenly tightened its grip on his innards.  He was defenseless, with no skills to offer his now comrades.  No, they were not comrades, at least not to him.  They were his 'babysitters.'  His lip curled in disgust at the thought.  But that was how he felt.  This strong bunch of demon hunters was taking him along on their journey by force, and like a helpless child he would need watching and protecting.  An acute sense of helplessness overcame him, and he found himself suddenly fighting back nausea.

"Are you okay, Houjo-kun?"  Kagome asked, noticing the tensed look on her school friend's face.

"Uh…yes, I'm fine, Kagome-san, thank you for asking."  Houjo replied forcing a feeble smile.

"Feh!" the hanyou snorted.  "Weak human."  Inu Yasha once again sensed the future boy's fear.  Watching Kagome lean over toward the boy, concern in her hazel eyes, made his heart wrench.  Did she have feelings for this idiot?  _'No!'_  His mind screamed at him.  _'Kagome loves me, but am I too late?'  'Too late for what?'_  The other voice inside his head questioned_.  'You don't even know who it is you want!'  'Shut up!'  _As a mental battle of thoughts raged in his head, the others finished their breakfast and began preparing for the long journey.

"I was thinking of visiting Jinenji, Kaede Baachan."  Kagome said to the older miko.  "He has many herbs we can't get anywhere else.  Several good for healing youkai."  She glanced at Kiarara as she spoke, remembering how the gentle hanyou's healing herbs had saved the cat demon from Naraku's miasma.

"That's a good idea, Kagome-chan."  Sango smiled.  She too remembered the gift of herbs for her beloved neko companion.

Finally registering what the miko in training had said, "What the hell do you mean you want to see Jinenji?  His village is a day's journey out of our way, and we've already wasted enough time!"  Inu Yasha snapped.

"I need those herbs, Inu Yasha!  And only Jinenji grows them!  We're going, and that's final!  You're the one who said we aren't coming back this way until IT'S over!"  Kagome's eyes flashed, as if daring the dog demon to deny her.  He only snorted a "Feh!" at the girl.  Kagome smiled to herself.  She had one this round in the battle of wills with her hanyou.  And she didn't even have to "sit" him.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The group had been traveling more than half a day when Inu Yasha decided to break for lunch.  The rain still drizzled and the clouds never wavering from their position in the dark sky.  Searching for a safe cave, the hanyou finally found an overhang large enough to shelter the group from the elements.

The ground under the hanging rock was damp but not wet.  Kagome dug through her pack producing a blanket and her cooking supplies.  Miroku and Sango went in search of dry wood for a fire as Inu Yasha sat down, resting his back against the rock wall of the cliff, Kiarara curled up in a tight ball next to him.  Shippou sat perched on Kagome's shoulder, his tiny hands holding one of the toys Kagome had brought him from her time.  Houjo sat down, exhaustion evident as he tried to relax his over exerted muscles. 

"Higurashi?"  Houjo's quiet voiced echoed in the stillness.

"Hmm…"  She replied, engrossed in digging through her pack.  "Ah-ha!"  She announced happily as she pulled a large bag from the yellow rucksack.  Shippou smiled hugely, his tiny fangs peering out as he grabbed the bag and raced off to sit next to Inu Yasha. 

Houjo watched briefly as the two demons fought over the bag of garlic potato chips before finally coming to a truce to share the bag.  "Do you always walk this much?" the boy asked.  Houjo had never traveled by foot so much in his life.  His body ached and cramped in protest of the unwanted exercise.

"Oh, yeah.  I guess I'm used to it.  I've been doing it for so long, it doesn't really bother me anymore.  Though," she said as an after thought, "usually when we do get tired, we stop to rest.  And usually I have my bike.  But since we're heading into the mountains, my bike is pretty useless."

Inu Yasha listened to the two teenagers as he stuffed potato chips into his mouth.  With any luck the runt would get so exhausted he'd fall behind and get lost.  He frowned at this thought.  Kagome would only sit him for being so "insensitive" to others.  Shoving his hand into the bag to grab more of the delicious fried, thin potatoes, he bumped into the kitsune's smaller hand.  Growling, he looked over into the determined green eyes of Shippou.  "You're eating them all!"  

"ME?!"  Shippou exclaimed.  "You're the one eating 'em all!"  

"Mine!"  Inu Yasha exclaimed, snatching the bag out of Shippou's reach, a smile of satisfaction on his face.  

"Kagome!  Inu Yasha won't share the chips!"  Shippou whined, his small voice raised in pitch as he jumped onto the young miko's shoulder pouting.

"Inu Yasha!  I gave those to BOTH of you!"  She scolded, her eyes narrowed in a warning glare.

"Feh!"  the hanyou snorted in reply.  "There's only crumbs left anyway!"  With that Inu Yasha rose to his feet, tossed the near empty bag at the kitsune cub, and headed off into the woods.  Shippou grabbed the bag and ran off to occupy Inu Yasha's now abandoned seat, greedily dumping the remains of the chip bag into his mouth.

"Uh, Kagome-san, why do you travel with youkai if you fight youkai?"  Houjo asked, eyeing the fox kit with wariness.  Kagome may trust these demons, but he did not think he ever would.

Kagome stifled a laugh.  _'Poor Houjo-kun, he must be really terrified by all this.'_  She thought as she watched his wide-eyed expression.  "Inu Yasha acts all tough and stuff, but he really is very nice.  And Shippou is only a kid.  He has a big heart and is very sweet.  I guess I sort of adopted him after his parents died."

Houjo looked at her with huge, brown eyes.  "You adopted him?  Like, you're his mom or something?"  

Kagome did laugh this time, "Yeah, I guess I kind of did.  I protect him and keep him safe when I'm here in the Sengoku Jidai.  I tuck him in at night, and tell him bedtime stories.  And of course, feed him."

Shippou stopped eating at Kagome's words.  A teary smile split his face, flashing his fangs.  He suddenly sprang up slamming into Kagome's chest.  She caught him with open arms before falling backwards, giggling with joy at the fox child.  Shippou nuzzled his face into her stomach, hiding the tears that were now streaming down his cheeks. 

Houjo could not believe that the girl before him was the same Higurashi Kagome who he attended school with.  The quiet, shy schoolgirl who was always sick was actually a demon hunter, the "mother" to a fox demon child, and traveled five hundred years in the past with other demons.  He grabbed his head, trying to make sense of it all and stave off the dizzying feeling he was once again experiencing.  

"You lecherous, perverted monk!  If you touch me again, I'll remove a part of your anatomy you will need to produce children!"  Sango screamed as she and Miroku returned.  A small pile of wood was held in each of their arms.  

"But Sango, my love, how can I resist when you are bent over presenting me with such perfection and beauty?"  The monk asked, keeping a fair amount of distance between him and his intended.

Dropping the pile of wood beside Kagome and Houjo, Sango hissed, "One more time, houshi-sama and, and…."

"Sango!  Please, forgive me, gomen nasai!"  Miroku held up his hands in front of him, trying to placate the fuming beauty.

Houjo's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he listened to the two future lovers argue.  As realization set in, "Houshi-dono, y-you…touched Sango-san's body?"  All eyes stared at the incredulous boy.  "You're a holy man!  A monk!  How could you do such a thing?"

"Relax, Houbo!"  Inu Yasha smirked as he returned, carrying three freshly killed rabbits.  "The bouzu does it all the time.  Besides, she already promised to bear his children."  An involuntary shudder overcame the hanyou at this.  The image of many little hentai Miroku's running about was not a pleasant thought.

Kagome giggled as she stacked the wood and lit the fire.  Sango blushed furiously, her cheeks competing with the crimson hue of Inu Yasha's haori.  Houjo felt sick.  As much as he knew, monks were not supposed to marry or do any of _those_ kinds of things.  "B-but… you're a monk!  You're supposed to…to be celibate!"  Houjo exclaimed in amazement.

"Correction, Houjo-kun,"  Kagome smiled, "Delinquent monk."  Miroku feigned a mask of purity and innocence at the conversation of his perverted nature.

"And you're okay with this, Kagome-san?"  Houjo blinked at his school friend, trying to see if perhaps she were a demon in disguise.  

"As long as he keeps his hands off Kagome, who cares what the letch does!"  Inu Yasha growled.  His golden orbs bore into both the lecherous monk and the pale faced future boy.   Quickly side glancing at said girl, Inu Yasha frowned, her smile had faded and her face was now scrunched up in serious thought.  _'We really need to talk, and soon…'  _Finally deciding that before they left Jinenji's village, he and the miko would have the talk they desperately needed, the hanyou sat back against the cliff wall, watching through half closed eyes the strange Houjo and his Kagome.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Black slit eyes glowed an eerie yellow as they peered through the wet canopy of a densely branched tree.  The group had finally decided to rest.  How the humans could keep pace with the youkai, even if he were just a hanyou, was beyond her.  They must be exceptional humans, but then again, she had heard that they were strong youkai hunters.  Her eyes rested on the boy who was presently getting yelled at by the hanyou.  Thinking back, she could not recall the mention of a second human male in the group.  The hanyou, yes.  He was what brought her here.  The taijiya and houshi had fairly dangerous reputations themselves against youkai.  Eyes resting on the young miko who was now cooking the late afternoon meal, a smile curved her lips, flashing long, sharp fangs.  The miko was said to be the half-breed's mate.  Sniffing the rain dampened air, she smelt no claim on the girl.  But it didn't matter to her if she were claimed or not, mating was not her purpose with this band of travelers.  She would follow and watch the group of demon exterminators.  And when the time was right she would make herself known.  Until then, she leaned back against the trunk of the tree, her long tail curling around the branch under her.  Closing her yellow brown eyes, she fell into a light sleep, dreaming of the revenge she so desperately needed, and wondering who the strange clothed human male was.

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A/N:  Gomen it took so long to update!  I had this chapter ready to go, then lost the disc.  Luckily I found it again!  So, what did you think?  Not the greatest, but I finally got to introduce my mysterious new OC, and what revenge is she seeking and against who?  Hmm…I wonder!  As for poor Houjo, I am going to be making him a little OOC from this point on…why you ask?  Because, though we all know him to be the clueless wonder boy, in reality I see him as just being very shy and raised by a very traditional family…so what's the point you ask?  Well, starting next chapter, Houjo will actually have a clue, and a different side to his "Duh?!" personality will be revealed.  And I don't think Inu Yasha or Miroku will like it one bit!!!!  More spoilers to come next chapter too!  You have been warned!  **AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS REVIEWED!!!!**  And **please read and review** this new chapter!!!


	5. Author's Note

A/N:  Sorry people, this is not a real chapter, just my author's notes regarding Path of the Tiger.  I know it has been a while since I updated this fic, but once again, I lost my disc.  I tried to rewrite the next chapter by memory, but it came out terrible.  I don't want to present you with crap after all of you who reviewed love this story so much.  I want to keep up with the same quality that has made you fans of this story.

I will be returning to the States on Aug. 11.  I will have my disc by then.  I stopped packing so I could write this.  But I am sure that I will find it while I am scrambling to get all my stuff together.  I will post the next chapter as soon as I get back home and recover from my jetlag!!!  I promise!

Now, for some thankies for my reviewers!  Since you guys have all been so patient!!!  I really do appreciate your e-mails telling me to get the story finished…it means a lot to me that you guys like this fic!

**Tia:**  Thank you for your review, and for the comment!  And I promise to post the next chapter ASAP!!!

**Psycho supernova:**  I plan to carry this story to my version of the end of the manga, with many actual manga events in it.  Which means MAJOR SPOILERS!!!  Thank you for reviewing, of course I will keep going!

**JadeSpider:**  Gee, what can I say, you keep threatening me to put this chapter out, and I still haven't been able to comply!  But just a little more patience, I promise next week sometime I will finally post it!  If you try to send a squeaky voiced VIZ version of Jaken at me, I will eviscerate the little toad imp thingie and then Sesshoumaru will be forced to once again, use Tensaiga to bring the little nasty thing back.  Hopefully, as a mute this time!!!!  If you don't know what I am talking about, then good, since I know suspense is the best form of torture for you!  ^_^  

**Thelionqueen:**  I am sorry if this story is not as good as others, but you said it was better than most, so I take that little bit as a compliment.  This fic is more about the feelings and emotions of the characters than the plot.  Relationships of love and friendship are very strong bonds, one cannot exist without the other, including trust, so I am trying to relay that message.  I hope it comes off the way it sounds in my head, but if it doesn't, please feel free to let me know, I take no offense.

**Slayer chic:**  Thank you so much!  So glad you like this story!  And I will update very soon, I promise!

**Lady Eve:**  One of my favorite reviewers!  You read all my fics, and I love you for it!  And I am glad you liked the last chapter so much!  I hope the next one meets your expectations.  I especially like the part with Shippou and Kagome.  It was very sweet!

Whoobonhooaglo:  Hehe, you know I love you!!!  And I know you are patiently waiting for this chapter, and for us to finish our co-written fic, starting next week, I will have more time, well, actually probably by Wednesday I will have more time.  Promise!!!

**Lilithelfgirl:  **So glad you like this!!!  And I will update soon, promise!

**Amelie Villefort:**  Thank you so much, glad you like the story, and I will be updating very soon!

Well, that is it for all my reviewers!!!  Thankies to all of you!!!  And by next Friday, I will have the next chapter uploaded--- finally!!!  

Ja ne

Aile Anna


	6. Embracing the Storm

A/N:  OMG!  I finally got over my writer's block, and once again this story is flowing freely!  I am soooo sorry to all of you who have been patiently waiting for this chapter.  I know 3 months is a hell of a long time to wait, 4 if you count writing for Namo!   Well, I hope you like it.  It was not easy but I finally got it done, all thanks to some bimbo on the thruway.  You heard me, all of you have some stupid driver to thank for this!  I was on the I-90 when some idiot comes up from behind me weaving in and out of traffic.  She pulls in front of me, and suddenly slows down.  I was like, "You jackass!" and suddenly images, sounds, even smell, burst free from my aggravated little head followed by detailed narration.  And that is how this chapter finally came to be!  Enjoy!  

Major spoilers for those of you who are not current with the manga. This story takes place after the events of chapter 313 in the manga.  **Please Review!**

This is an **R rated** fic.  It contains strong language, violence, and adult situations.  

Disclaimer:  I do not own any of the Inu Yasha characters, I do own all other characters.  

Recap:

Thinking back, she could not recall the mention of a second human male in the group.  The hanyou, yes, he was what brought her here.  The taijiya and houshi had fairly dangerous reputations themselves against youkai.  Eyes resting on the young miko who was now cooking the late afternoon meal, a smile curved her lips, flashing long, sharp fangs.  The miko was said to be the half-breed's mate.  Sniffing the air, she smelled no claim on the girl.  But it didn't matter to her if she were claimed or not.  She would follow and watch the group of demon exterminators.  And when the time was right she would make herself known.  Until then, she leaned back against the trunk of the tree, her long tail curling around the branch under her.  Closing her yellow brown eyes, she fell into a light sleep, dreaming of the revenge she so desperately needed, and wondering who the strange clothed human male was.

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Chapter 4: Embracing the Storm 

The earth sucked at the soles of their feet as they trudged across the muddied field, as if trying to pull them down to prevent their passing.  As the rain pelted the travelers and the already drenched land, the angry skies grew angrier, darkening from gray to near pitch black.  Thunder roared, drowning out all other sounds as it rumbled overheard, occasionally clapping with such force it reverberated through the air, causing the group to huddle closer together for protection.

Kagome clung to her hanyou as she rode upon his back, feeling the safety of his warmth as his clawed hands held tightly to the backs of her knees.  His red haori clung to the young miko's form, but she still shivered beneath its dry interior as the wind whipped about her, as if attempting to tear free the garment that protected her from its fury.

"Daijoubu?" Inu Yasha yelled to her in the wind, but even his deep bellowing tone was carried away by the winds strength, his words never reaching the future girl's covered ears.  Turning to peer at her over his shoulder, his golden eyes narrowed against the stinging rain, the inu hanyou asked once again, "Kagome, you okay?" 

Face buried in Inu Yasha's thick, drenched hair, Kagome looked up as she felt his head move and thought she heard his voice above the howling gale.  Straining her human ears, she caught the half demon's last words and nodded silently as she once again buried her face into the back of his shoulder, her hands tightening their grip upon the inu youkai's shoulders.

"How much further to Jinenji's?" Miroku asked as he appeared beside the dog demon, his shakujou held before him as if warding off the offensive storm that beat down upon the group.

"I can't tell in this shitty weather.  My senses are off, but I know we're going the right way."  Again, as he had done several times since the ooburi had increased in strength, Inu Yasha sniffed at the moist air.  He coughed spasmodically as the wind brought rain into his nostrils.  Hunching over, the hanyou spat, clearing his throat of the offensive stuff.  "Gah!  Tastes like puke!  What the hell kind of storm is this?!"  he demanded looking up at the furious clouds overhead.

"Demon," Miroku replied, his words carried away as a gust of wind nearly knocked him off his feet.  

Peering through the dreary darkness, Inu Yasha suddenly picked up his pace.  "There's a light up ahead!"  Even with his inhumanly speed, the hanyou felt hindered by the elements as he tried to lead his friends to possible shelter.

Lightening cracked and split, shedding a brief blinding light upon the land as it struck the earth.  Sango jumped quickly to the side as she felt the electricity strike near her.  The ground beneath her sandaled feet charged with energy briefly before wavering and dissipating.  

"Itai!"  Inu Yasha dropped the miko unceremoniously as his bare feet felt the jolt of electricity surging through the water soaked ground.  Smoke hissed from his clawed toes and he took to the air in a giant leap to free himself of the burning sensation.  Landing only a few feet from the now mud caked Kagome, his golden eyes widened.

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome screamed as she pulled her self up, with Houjo's help, from the sinking mud.  Her eyes flashed angry fire as she stood facing the half dog demon. 

"Gomen, Kagome, I-I …." He gulped as her aura flared deadly about her, the miko powers the future girl processed seeming more dangerous than the unnatural storm.  

"We need to find shelter, the storm is getting much worse." Miroku's wise words cut into her ire and Kagome nodded in agreement as she began trudging through the thickening mud.

Several minutes later, they finally came upon the source of the light, all sighing with relief as a large hut came into view.  Its high roof and neatly fenced in garden immediately indicated they had at last found Jinenji's home.

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Large, luminous eyes blinked back the harsh rain as she watched with great difficulty the travelers ahead of her.  Leaping into a nearby tree, the youkai hissed before shaking herself vigorously, freeing her long hair of the excess water.  Her fur bristled with frustration as her quarry became less visible. 

"Stupid storm!" She seethed.  "I will lose sight of them at this rate!" 

Grasping her tail by its base, one clawed hand ran the length of the furry appendage, gently squeezing out the rainwater as it glided easily over the damp orange and black fur.   Dry once again, she curled her tail about her, as if the thin body part could protect the youkai from further assault from the elements.

The tree swayed precariously in the wind, and she suddenly dug her claws deep into the bark, securing her hold on the feeble shelter.  No, it was not the strongest tree at the edge of the field, but it had been the closest, so without delay, the youkai had jumped high into the thin branches, grasping tightly as the limb shivered and swayed beneath her weight.  At least for the moment she would be out of the rain, but she would have to move again quickly, for she knew the branch would not hold her for long.

No sooner had these thoughts left her than she felt more than heard the cracking of the wood.  With the speed born of her species, the demon jumped from the tree, landing in the slick, thick mud below.  Turning her yellow eyes, she watched as the limb snapped, crashing down to the earth below it. Her eyes widened as she observed the spectacle.  Before the broken tree branch could hit the ground, the wind kicked up, jerking the limb into the air as it carried it off toward the shadowy forest beyond.

"I have to get out of this shit!" She thought as thunder clapped overhead, followed by the blinding flash of lightening.  Surprisingly, she heard the audible cry of the hanyou in the distance and wondered if he had been struck by the deadly bolt that had lit up the darkness.  Straining her ears, she sighed with relief when she heard the distinct angry yell of the miko.  No, he had not been struck, for if he had, she knew the miko and her companions would have cried out in worry, not fury.  She would have chuckled if not for the dark image hurling toward her.  Without thought, the youkai ducked and rolled swiftly out of harms way as a leafy branch swept over where she had been crouched in the muddy earth. 

"Kuso!  That had been close!'  The damaged sustained would have been minimal, but it still would have hurt like hell to be smacked in the head with such a large projectile.  Fearing now for her safely, the youkai searched frantically for a safe shelter, no longer worried about losing track of the group she had been following so closely for the past two days.

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Inu Yasha sneezed again as he took a sip of the hot medicinal tea Jinenji had given him.  "Itai!" he yelped as the steaming brew sloshed over the sides of the drinking bowl, burning his fingers as it landed on his hands.  

"Mou, Inu Yasha, you should wait until AFTER you sneeze before trying to drink it."  Kagome scolded the hanyou lightly as she shook her head disapprovingly at him.

"Serves him right for making us walk all day in that storm!"  Shippou eyed the dog demon contemptuously as he snuggled deeper into the warmth of the miko's lap.  He was still irritated that Inu Yasha had insisted they continue their journey after their late afternoon meal, even though the storm had begun to increase.

"Usari!" Inu Yasha growled before downing the last of the tea.  His tongue burned, but the hanyou bit back the whimper constricting his throat.  He refused to show weakness in front of the gloating kitsune runt.

Houjo sat quietly by the fire, watching warily the group as they interacted, his dark eyes flitting back and forth before finally settling on the other hanyou, on Jinenji.  The other youkai Kagome-san knew looked more human or animal than this large, strange creature called Jinenji.  

Inu Yasha, though vulgar and seemingly violent, had given the future boy no reason to fear him.  In fact, he rather disdained the inu youkai, his very nature around Kagome was rude and disrespectful and that bothered Houjo.  But the other two, the neko and kitsune, they were rather cute and he felt no threat from them.  Houjo had to admit, he liked petting the tiny cat demon, her red eyes blinking at him with content when he has stroked her yellow fur.  The fox child, perhaps it was the deep affection Kagome and he had for each other that made him feel at ease with the little guy.  Whatever the reasons, this Jinenji did not give Houjo the same fearlessness.

Jinenji lacked any human appearance completely.  His large enormous frame was covered by orange tinted skin marred by numerous scars.  Eyes wide and round yet seemingly filled with sorrow, bulged from an elongated face.  His arms were overly long with meaty hands.  This hanyou who Kagome had smiled brightly up at and hugged with such exuberance literally scared the hell out of Houjo.  But more than this frightened Jinenji, if a hanyou looked like this, then what other monsters were lurking out there in the Sengoku Jidai, monsters who were larger and more frightening than this supposed gentle hanyou?  These were the thoughts that were haunting the future boy's mind.

"Daijoubu, Houjo-kun?" Kagome asked again as she squatted down in front of her school friend, concern in her hazel orbs.

"Huh?"  Houjo looked up startled, he had not heard Kagome call to him, and her sudden arrival before him startled him.

"Are you okay?  You don't look so well."  Kagome reached out a hand, the back of which lay gently across the boy's forehead.  "No fever."  A puzzling look crossed her face as she chewed on her bottom lip in contemplation.  

"I-I'm fine, Higurashi-san."  He stammered as he pulled away from the miko's touch, not wanting his friend to know that he was afraid, not ill.

Inu Yasha glared at the two from his perch by the fire.  "Keh!  Nothing's wrong with him, Kagome."  Inu Yasha snorted, as he stood up and tossed his blanket aside, letting it fall onto the sleeping Kiarara.  The neko mewed loudly as she awoke and struggled to free herself from the blanket's confines.  

"Inu Yasha, that was not nice!" Sango snatched the blanket off the fire cat as she shot the hanyou a look that told him he was being rude.

"While we sit here, that bitch is Abi is helping Naraku get closer to the last Shikon no kakera!  Damned this weather!" He slammed his fist into the wall in his frustration, denting the wood where his fist landed.  "This is not natural.  Now we have to fight this too before we can reach the last shard!" 

"This storm, it reeks of evil."  All eyes turned to the old woman hunched over the stew pot over the fire.  Her haggard face glowed reddish orange in the firelight, accentuating the many wrinkles that creased her aged face.  "When Jinenji's father was around, he once spoke of one who could create ooburi such as this.  Great storms so terrible that they could uproot the largest trees, cause great tidal waves on the oceans, and even split the earth with the force of lightening."

Miroku looked thoughtful a moment before speaking, "Makaze." 

"Oro?" Inu Yasha asked, turning to face the monk who now stood in the middle of the room.  

"I once heard a tale of a youkai, more devil than demon, named Makaze.  So evil was this demon, that long ago, centuries in fact, he was sealed by a great priest who refused to tell anyone where he had sealed Makaze.  After he had died, a scroll was found, telling of Makaze being sealed away in a clay pot and buried far beneath the sea, where he could never be found."

"Che, seems like Naraku found him." The inu hanyou growled as he glanced once more out the window, toward the black skies, the storm clouds had once again thickened releasing a torrent of rain.  "And I can't track him down in this shit.  The winds too strong."

"Seems that Naraku found a way to buy some time to get to the last Shikon no Kakera." Kagome sighed, it seemed that the closer they came to Naraku, the further they got.  Every step lately was hindered by something.  First the Shichinin-tai, then that baka uindo youkai, Kagura and Kanna, the baby Hakudoushi and Abi, and now this new demon was stalling them, this Makaze.

"We'll have to stop Makaze before we can find Naraku."  Sango stated, picking up Hiraikotsu, a determined glint in her chocolate brown eyes.

Kagome nodded firmly, she too looking determined as she unconsciously felt for the bow slung over her shoulder.  "Hai!  We will find him first, then get Naraku." 

"Iie!" Inu Yasha spun around, his white hair flying wildly with his actions.  Amber gold eyes bore into the young miko, his face set sternly.  "You will stay here, Kagome, with Jinenji and this human from your time!"  Something of this felt wrong, his demon instincts screamed at him to protect the future girl.  To keep her behind felt right, even if he knew he would miss her traveling with him.

"Nani?!" Kagome screamed, as she stared down the dog demon.  "Stay here?  You are not going without me, Inu Yasha!  How could you even suggest such a thing?"  Once again the miko's aura flared with anger.  How dare that baka hanyou think of even leaving her behind.  They had come this far together, she promised to be by his side.  Even if Makaze was more devil than demon, she would not be left behind to wonder if her friends would return or die fighting.

"No, Inu Yasha, I will stay behind.  I will go with you.  I cannot go back to the well, it is destroyed, nor can I return to Kaede bachan's.  And…" turning sad eyes toward Jinenji and his mother she softly continued, her voice strong yet low, "I cannot stay here.  I will not let you fight without me.  I won't let you." 

"K-Kagome?" Inu Yasha looked stunned as he listened to the girl's soft words.  Tears had welled up in Kagome's eyes, but she refused to let them fall.  No longer did he sense the anger in her aura, but something else, something completely different, more determined and stronger than anger.  The sudden change left him near speechless.  "I…"

"Don't speak!" Raising a shaky hand, Kagome slowly covered the hanyou's mouth with her fingertips.  "I said I will not leave you, even if you tell me too, Inu Yasha, I will not leave.  I will not stay behind either.  I am a part of this, it is because of me the Shikon no Tama shattered.  It is because of me Naraku has so much of the jewel now.  It is because of me," she swallowed as her next words slipped painfully off her tongue, "Kikyou was brought back, all this is because of me.  I will not stay and let others take care of my responsibilities." 

Inu Yasha blushed as her fingers touched his lips, even if it were so subtle a contact, he still felt the heat of it.  As if only now realizing he was blushing and that others were in the room, he wrapped his clawed fingers around her wrist, as if to remove her hand from his mouth.  Instead, the hanyou held loosely to her, torn between enjoying his Kagome's touch and the embarrassment of the situation.

Houjo watched the scene before him with sadness.  The look on Kagome's face, the look in her eyes, spoke a thousand times more than her words.  He saw the love, the fear, the worry there, even if the hanyou was too ignorant or stubborn to see it.  Looking about him, he noticed all eyes looking away from the two.  Sango had suddenly become interested in her boomerang, stroking the surface with a polishing rag.  The sabuke houshi was engrossed in meditation. When the monk had taken the cross-legged position was beyond him, last he had seen, Miroku was standing contemplating this new threat to the group.

The neko youkai was curled up by Jinenji sleeping, while the large hanyou stroked her fur, his gaze fixed on his mother stirring the contents of the stew pot.  It was obvious to the future boy that they were purposefully ignoring the other two.  Turning back to where Kagome and Inu Yasha stood, Houjo was shocked by what he saw.

"You big jerk!  How could you think to leave Kagome behind?!" In a blink of an eye a very large pink bubble was chewing maliciously on the dog demon's pointed ears.

"Get the fuck off me you little bastard!" Inu Yasha swatted at the transformed kitsune.  Shippou backed off, floating up toward the ceiling of the hut.  "Come here you little whelp!  I'll kick your fucking ass!" Inu Yasha crouched as if to leap up and attack the kit, only to have Kagome's deadly glare stop him cold.  

"Inu Yasha…OSUAWARI!" Instantly the dog demon was plastered to the floor of the hut, his face planted into the smooth beams of the floorboards.  "Shippou-chan, that was not nice!  You shouldn't aggravate Inu Yasha like that!"  She scolded, tapping her foot irritably as she chastised the little fox child.

"But, Kagome, he was going to leave you here!  I don't want you to stay here, I want you to come with us to find Makaze!" With a pop, the kitsune transformed back into his normal form, his green eyes looking sadly at the girl he considered his adoptive mother.

"That is still no reason to act like that.  You know Inu Yasha doesn't like it when you chew on his ears." The young miko reached down, scooping the fox into her arms, allowing him to snuggle deep into her embrace.  "He is not leaving me here, are you Inu Yasha?" Kagome asked side glancing at the hanyou who was only now pulling himself up off the floor.

"Feh, whatever." He snorted, turning his head to the side like a disgruntled child.  Reaching up a clawed hand, the hanyou massaged at his now sore ears, mentally beating the hell out of Shippou for being so annoying and troublesome.

"So, we will need to plan this if we are to find Makaze."  Miroku spoke up, breaking off the last of the damaging thoughts the inu hanyou had against the kitsune.

"We wait until morning.  If this Makaze is controlling this, he has to be someplace nearby, or high up." Inu Yasha returned to his seat by the fire, a serious look on his face as he thought of this new upcoming battle.

"But what if the storm is worse in the morning?"  Houjo spoke up his concern. Jinenji might be scary, but the thought of facing a demon powerful enough to create such an destructive natural force as this tempest, was more frightening.

Inu Yasha glanced up at the inquiring schoolboy just as Kagome sat down beside him, pulling a blanket over her shoulders.  The kitsune was curling up in her lap but now looked up expectantly at the hanyou.  "Then we embrace it, we have to keep going if we are to stop it and Naraku."  The dog demon closed his eyes, shutting out the annoying boy and let the comforting scent of Kagome fill him.

His eyes snapped open as he suddenly felt a weight upon his shoulder.  Looking down, Kagome had laid her head on him, snuggling up to his warmth.  He blushed furiously, but did not stop his miko from taking comfort in him.  Instead, he silently slipped his arm about her, pulling Kagome closer to him.  She would need all the sleep she could get before morning, and if it helped her to sleep better being with him, then he would allow it, the hanyou thought.  For in the morning, they would brave the storm, and they would all need their strength and wits about them.

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They all jumped as a loud bang shook the hut.  Something large had hit the side of the building, causing the timbers to groan and creak from the shear force of the object.   The storm outside had worsened as the group slept, the wind now howling with great ferocity.  The loud thudding awoke the inhabitants of the house, making them aware of the increased weather conditions and the dangers it posed, even inside the protection of the hut.

"What the fuck was that?"  Inu Yasha jumped to his feet, the Tetsusaiga drawn and flaming before him.  

"I'll go see what it was, stay here."  Jinenji rose from his futon and began to head for the outside, but was stopped when the door to the hut flew open, revealing what appeared to be a woman, drenched and bleeding.

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A/N:  Okay, yes, I know, I make you people wait for freaking ever, and I end it with a cliffie!! I am sooooo evil, but not to worry!!! I already have the next chapter started!! HEHE!! So, same time next week – yes!  You have to wait a whole week; I do have a life ya know!  But I promise, no more writer's block and I will keep them flowing.  And so sorry the ending of this was bad.  

Some info for you:  

Makaze – literally means demon storm or raging storm.  No, this is not from Japanese mythology like all my others, I made this one up, his appearance, when I get to it, might be a different story though.  Not sure yet.  


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